11. Congratulate your ESP members when the earn special licenses and certifications required to do their work!

This one goes with #138 from the Ideas to Reach All Members thread.

It's not uncommon for our ESP members to earn special certificates and licenses in order to perform their jobs. For example, custodians require special certifications and licenses to maintain certain pieces of equipment, etc. Oftentimes these qualifications are not easy to achieve.

When the certifications and licenses are awarded, remember to thank your ESP members for earning the credentials. Consider celebrating them at a faculty meeting or special party. Promote their work in your association newsletter, website, or social media resources.

As head custodian at a high school, I collect lots of unwanted furniture from teachers. Most of the furniture is in good shape, but the teacher just doesn't have a use for it anymore. It was always difficult to find new owners for these items. Many times they would go into the dump.

Recently, I decided to try something different. I brought a digital camera, took photos of all teh furniture I had, and sent an email to staff about the available items.

I could not believe that all of the items were gone in one day! I received emails from staff telling me what a great idea that was, and I hope other stuff do the same.

We met ESPs from the Plainfield Education Association that have this as a provision in their contract. The council is comprised of a member of each of the ESP subgroups (a custodian, secretary, bus driver, etc.), who are all part of an all-inclusive local. Once a month, the committee meets with the local association president to discuss issues, and then these issues are brought to the superintendent in a monthly, ESP-only liaison meeting.

Your local does not necessary have to bargain this with the BOE for it to work. An ESP council would provide any local association president with valuable insights into the schools and the work of ESP members.

19. Offer your ESPs a puzzle eraser as found at Staples. Hand it to ESPs with a card that reads something to the effect of, “You’re an essential piece of the puzzle!” Consider including NJEA’s brochure, “We’re NJEA ESPs and proud of it!”

We got this idea from the Middle Township EA of Cape May County. Each year, a member takes a picture of each driver and his or her students for the year--standing next to the bus. Each driver gets a picture to post in their bus. This practice was discontinued, but the local association is now considering taking it over. PRIDE can provide funding for the pictures if a wallet is given to each student, and the local association banner could even be hung from each bus.